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Rick Lazio’s letter to Attorney General Andrew Cuomo suggests that the Republican gubernatorial candidate has turned away from tacitly supporting Gov. David Paterson in his battle with the New York Times. Most of it calls on Cuomo to disclose what, if any, role his staff played in feeding the Times the information contained in the articles.

According to a recent Siena poll, Lazio currently leads Paterson by several points. Against Cuomo, not so much. Here’s the letter:

Dear Attorney General Cuomo,

The people have the right to know the truth behind the allegations that were reported in today’s New York Times. The people also have the right to know that your investigation into Governor Paterson and his involvement is conducted honestly and objectively.

As you begin your investigation, I ask that you state publicly whether you or any of your associates, members of your office or campaign team aided or supplied the New York Times the information it published in any of its stories this past week attacking Governor Paterson, his staff and his conduct; or if you or any of your agents were involved in spreading the rumors about such stories. If so, common decency, if not the law, would demand you recuse yourself from this investigation to ensure an independent process free of your political ambition.

Today, you ordered the State Police to halt any internal investigation into its role surrounding their handling of this matter for fear that they would protect their own interests over the truth. If you do not disavow any connection to this story the same conflict of interest would be present and any findings of your investigation would be immediately called into question.

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